Question Friday 08

How is it Friday already? I don't understand!!

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1. What sorts of entertainment does [kingdom] offer? Does access to entertainment forms depend on social/economic status?
This is an interesting question. I would imagine there's theater, music, concerts, comedy... really anything you find in the real world with a twist. I see radio as being a huge industry. It definitely does depend on our social and economic status though. You have to have the money and means to get to these things.

2. Does entertainment vary region to region?
In the same way that Hollywood is known for movies and Broadway is known for theater, there's definitely places that would be known for some form of entertainment more than others. It also has to do with the surrounding area and geography. You aren't going to get a lot of outdoor plays or theaters up north where it's cold. Towns in a valley probably don't have huge radio towers because transmitting from below might not get as far.

3. What sorts of entertainment will Julian encounter on his quest?
That is something I have not thought of yet. I'm not sure what he will encounter. I imagine he will come across a theater of some kind. There's also the seedier forms of entertainment (and I use the term loosely) that will come into play.

4. How will Julian handle "culture shock"? What sorts of things will he hear and see to induce such shock?
Horribly. Julian will not do well. His first night out of the castle walls will be overwhelming for him. He will feel like he's stepped into another world. Nothing will be familiar because he's never seen it. The way society works, the way merchandise is sold, the way society dresses. It will be very very strange for him and it will take a long time for him to start to accept that things are different.

5. Does Julian know any other languages?
I know this question came up in the detailed profile I filled out. He does not know any other languages. He will quickly have to become familiar with them though. Generally, English is the only language used.

6. Are language interpretors easy or difficult to find? Dictionaries?
No. Either you know English or you know a different language. There isn't a lot of inbetween. The reason is, the upper class isn't taught any other languages. English is the respected language. If you are in a rural area or a poor town and you are on the border of another kingdom, there is a chance that you only know that other language. In that case, you wouldn't have learned any new ones. It creates quite the social barrier. Dictionaries are abundant in libraries, but libraries outside major cities are few and far between. Education and books are a luxury and a sign of nobility and wealth.

7. Are there any equivalents to tourism guides?
Oh, I'm sure there are. In fact, of all people, Milo would probably be able to tell you where all the hotspots are. There's definitely tourist traps. You know that icky feeling you get when you are visiting somewhere and you end up in a shopping mall or district because all the store owners are eyeing you? Yeah, it's a lot like that outside of the up-scale cities and regions.

8. How easy are maps to come by?
Maps are plentiful. There are many cartographers throughout, most of them found in towns that have a trains traveling through them or by lakes and oceans. Anywhere where there are travelers and merchants and cargo, there's maps to be found.

9. How accurate are any of these things (interpretors, dictionaries, guides, maps)?
And this is where the trouble comes in. It depends on what kind of map you are looking for and where it's going. Sometimes, the maps are almost completely made up. The shadier places will try and sell you anything. Merchant ships and towns where there's a lot of cargo coming have the more accurate maps, but a lot of those only include the necessary stops that a cargo ship would make, for instance. Interpreters, should you find someone who speaks a few languages (like Milo) are likely to lie to you. There's not a lot of trustworthy people out there. Dictionaries and books are extremely accurate, but like I said, they are hard to come by because it is such a luxury.

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Hope that was fun to read! See you next week!